The invention relates to an apparatus for milking an animal comprising a first set of teatcups and a second set of teatcups, said first set of teatcups comprising at least two teatcups of the same size or shape, said second set of teatcups comprising at least two teatcups of the same size or shape. Further the invention relates to an apparatus for milking an animal comprising at least one set of teat cups, which said set of teat cups comprises teatcups of different sizes and shapes, which are elongated and each comprises a rigid shell and a flexible liner forming a pulsation space, said liner being adapted to receive a teat at one end and to let out extracted milk at a second end.
Such an apparatus is known from WO 96/11567, which describes a milking robot provided with two sets of teatcups for allowing cleaning of the first set of teatcups while the second set of teatcups is attached to the teats of an animal.
The object of the present invention is to improve the reliability of said apparatus, and any milking apparatus in general, disregarding whether milking is performed automatically (automatic teatcup attachment and automatic teatcup detachment), semi-automatically (manual teatcup attachment and automatic teatcup detachment), or manually (manual teatcup attachment and manual teatcup detachment).
This has been solved by the apparatus of the initially defined kind, which is characterised in that each of said teatcups is elongated and comprises a rigid shell and a flexible liner forming a pulsation space, said liner being adapted to receive a teat at one end and to let out extracted milk at a second end, the first set of teatcups comprising teatcups of a first size or shape and the second set of teatcups comprising teatcups of a second size or shape, the first size or shape being different from the second size or shape. Hereby, the teatcups are adapted to differently sized and shaped teats.
Suitably, the liner of said first set of teatcups has a longitudinal extension at the pulsation space, which is different from that of the liner of the second set of teatcups. Furthermore, the shells of the teatcups of said first set of teatcups have a longitudinal extension, which is different from that of the shells of the second set of teatcups. Hereby, the teatcups are adapted to receive teats of different lengths.
Suitably, said liner is provided with a thin, lip-like member, defining an opening of a predetermined diameter, a liner of the first set of teatcups having an opening, which is different from that of the liner of the second set of teatcups. Hereby, the teatcups are adapted to receive teats of different diameters.
Preferably, said lip-like member has a predetermined flexibility, said flexibility of the liner of the first set of teatcups being different from that of the liner of the second set of teatcups. Hereby, the teatcups are adapted to receive teats of different shapes.
Suitably, at least one of said first and second sets of teatcups is provided in a teatcup magazine. Hereby, a defined storage place is provided.
Preferably, said teatcup magazine is provided with a rinsing means. Hereby, the teatcups are allowed to be rinsed after performed milking.
Suitably, a milk meter is connectable via a valve to a teatcup of the first set of teatcups, respectively, each milk meter being connectable via said valve to a teatcup of the second set of teatcups, respectively, said valve allowing either of a teatcup of the first set of teatcups and a teatcup of the second set of teatcups to be connected to the milk meter, respectively. Hereby, a lower number of milk meters is needed. Furthermore, the milk meter is rinsed after each milking, disregarding which set of teatcups having been used.
Preferably, the apparatus further comprises a device for automatically attaching teatcups to the teats of an animal in response to a control means, and an animal identification means associated with said control means, the size of each teat of an animal individual being stored in a memory of said control means, said apparatus being adapted to choose at least one teatcup from either of said first and second sets of teatcups. Hereby, an automatic choice of teatcups is allowed to be performed.
Suitably, said device comprises a robot having a robot arm and a gripper for selectively gripping a teatcup from either of the first and the second sets of teatcups. Hereby, automatic teatcup attachment is allowed to be performed.
Preferably, said device comprises a teatcup identification means. Furthermore, said teatcup identification means device comprises a laser reader, each of said teatcups being provided with a bar code. Hereby, automatic selection and identification of a teatcup is allowed to be performed.
Suitably, the teatcups of said first set of teatcups are connectible to a first claw and the teatcups of said second set of teatcups are connectible to a second claw. Hereby, a lower number of milk tubes is needed.
Furthermore, a kit of parts is provided comprising at least one teatcup of a first size or shape and at least one teatcup of a second size or shape, the first size or shape being different from the second size or shape.
Alternatively, a kit of parts is provided comprising at least one liner for a teatcup of a first size and at least one liner for a teatcup of a second size, the first size being different from the second size.
The object of the invention has also been solved by the apparatus of the initially defined kind, which is characterized in that said set of teat cups comprises at least a first teat cup of a first size or shape and at least a second teat cup of a second size or shape, said first size or shape being different from said second size or shape. Hereby, the teat cups are adapted to differently sized and shaped teats. Two different types of teat sizes and shapes are hereby possible to attach with the teat cups.
Suitably, said set of teat cups comprises teat cups of a third size and shape and said third first size or shape being different from said first and second size or shape. Hereby three different types of teats, regarding their size and shape, are possible to attach.
Preferably, said set of teat cups comprises teat cups of a fourth size and shape and said fourth size or shape being different from said first, second and third size or shape. Hereby four different types of teats, regarding their size and shape, are possible to be attached in a smooth and exact manner. In this way a group of animals and their teats can be attached with a teat cup with a special size and shape. This can also be done to a particular animal with a particular sized and shaped teat.
Furthermore, said apparatus comprises a first and a second set of teat cups and said first set of teat cups is different from the second set of teat cups. Thereby is achieved that a teat cup with a special size and shape can be attached to a teat of a particular animal, of which animal the teat has individual size and shape or that this teat cup can be attached to another animal with the same size and shape.
Suitably, said set of teat cups comprises a plurality of teat cups, and wherein each teat cup has an individually size or shape. Hereby is it possible to attach a teat cup to a large number of different sizes and shapes of the teat. For example, if the set comprises 60 different teat cups, regarding their size and shape, it is possible to attach each teat cup to 60 different teats in an smooth and gentle manner. Of course, some of those animals will have a teat with the same size and shape. That means that a particular teat cup could be used to more than one animal. It means also that the availability is provided in a satisfactory manner. The robot can hereby freely choose a particular teat cup. Service and cleaning could also be performed uncomplicated, since there is a location of the teat cups within one arrangement means